Millions of Brits in for shock charges as credit card rates hit highest level since 1998 August 9, 2022 With credit card borrowing growing at its fastest pace since 2005, new analysis shared with City A.M. this morning shows that last month average rates on credit cards hit their highest level since 1998. An analysis of the Bank of England’s quoted household interest rate figures uncovered that average credit card rates jumped 0.23 percentage [...]
Heatwave drives retail sales but autumn slowdown anticipated as inflation masks falling volumes August 9, 2022 The summer is set to be “the lull before the storm,” with consumers splashing out on heatwave essentials at the tills while inflation masks a drop in volume sales. UK retail sales increased 1.6 per cent on a like-for-like basis from July 2021, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and KPMG sales monitor. However, [...]
Merge UK’s financial services regulators into one body, says Tory think tank August 8, 2022 The government should consider merging the UK’s several financial services regulators into one body post-Brexit, an influential Tory think tank has said. A new report from the centre-right Policy Exchange, which was founded by Michael Gove, today said “meeting the demands” of the multiple City regulators can be “a major barrier to innovation” for new [...]
Financials boost FTSE 100 as City leans into quiet summer period August 8, 2022 A rally among financial stocks boosted London markets today as the City leant into the quieter summer period. The capital’s premier FTSE 100 index climbed 0.57 per cent to 7,482.37 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, jumped 0.33 per cent to 20,118.44 [...]
Housing market holds up well despite Bank of England rate hikes August 8, 2022 The UK property market is still running hot despite the Bank of England’s rapid interest rate hike cycle, according to research by City A.M. House purchases dipped around four per cent in June compared to December when the Bank’s first rate rise landed, dropping to 95,420 from 99,560, according to HMRC data. Governor Andrew Bailey [...]
BoE’s Bailey and co are gloomiest central bank forecasters in history, according to Goldman Sachs August 8, 2022 “No central bank has ever published as negative an economic forecast” as the Bank of England did last week, according to a top Wall Street bank. Governor Andrew Bailey and co’s prediction that the UK will tip into the longest recession since the financial crisis at the end of this year is the gloomiest of [...]
Working in partnership to help children learn about money and finances August 8, 2022 Managing money is a key skill that is essential for adult life. Financial education therefore has the potential to equip young people with the confidence and skills they need to build their futures, open the door to a world of opportunities and transform their lives. However, the level of financial capability in the UK is [...]
Number 10: Johnson will not outline a cost of living package this summer August 8, 2022 Number 10 has confirmed that Boris Johnson will not be announcing an emergency package of measures to help Brits being squeezed by the worsening cost of living crisis. Johnson’s official spokesman today said “it will be for a future Prime Minister to decide whether … measures are required”. It comes after former Prime Minister Gordon [...]
Oil prices collapse to February lows amid growing fears of global recession August 8, 2022 Fears of a worldwide recession and weakened demand for oil continues to weigh down prices on both major benchmarks.
China trade surplus hits record high while markets nervously await Fed’s next move August 8, 2022 Markets in Europe look set to open slightly lower as we start a new week after US markets closed mixed on Friday, and the latest July trade data for China pointed to weak domestic demand. Any thoughts that the US Federal Reserve might have to start going soft when it comes to the tightening of [...]